Refuse compactor

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for compacting refuse comprising a fixed position compactor head, a portable refuse container having an open upper end and positionable below and in substantially vertical alignment with the head, and lift apparatus engageable with the container and operable to move the container upwardly to engage the refuse therein with the head so as to compact the refuse in the container. The lift apparatus consists of a cylinder assembly operated by water pressure and capable of maintaining a sustained force on the container over a period of time so that the refuse therein is subjected to a continuous compacting action by the head. A door operated valve controls the flow of water to the cylinder assembly.

United States Patent Ziegler [4 1 Aug. 22, 1972 [541 REFUSE COMPACTOR2,316,734 4/1943 Wells 100/53 72 Inventor: Willi E" Ziegler, 7050 w n2,904,097 9/1959 Cohen ..100/53 Abm, Mlch- FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 857,578 12/1960 Great Britain ..100/53 [22] 1970 479,798 41953 Italy 100/229 [21] Appl. No.: 79,538

Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite 52 vs. C] ..100/48, 100/226, 100/229A, and Stephen.

1001269 R, loo/DIG. 15 51 1m. 01. .3301) 15/16 1571 ABSTRACT Field 49,221, Apparatus for compacting refuse comprising a fixed 229 positioncompactor head, a portable refuse container 226 having an open upper endand positionable below and in substantially vertical alignment with thehead, and 1 References and lift apparatus engageable with the containerand operable to move the container upwardly to engage UNITED STATESPATENTS the refuse therein with the head so as tocompact the 3,024,7203/ 1962 Welsh 100/53 refuge in the container, The lift apparatusconsists of a 9/ 1887 McBride cylinder assembly operated by waterpressure and et a] capable of a sustained force on the con. 3,242,8513/1966 B ra.wl y 8t 295 X tainerover aperiod of time so that the refusetherein 3,425,465 1969 plshbume 100/229 X is subjected to a continuouscompacting action by the 737,427 8/1903 Lemberg ..l00/229 head A dooroperated valve controls the fl of 3,528,366 9/ 1970 Neuenburg 100/295 Xwater to the cylinder assembly 2,054,304 9/1936 Steinbach ..100/219 UX2,916,985 12/1959 Beach ..100/53 5 Claim, Drawing Figures A7 ,1 A 1 I Ii] I L ll 1 J t fi 2 /4V 44 5 {4 J A 14 L 1 1! /f 3 N A e f ,t,3"-7 -Z/1 7 1 J0 I -q 4 7 1 14 1 I f I 4/ 1 1 I f7 :21

I 471 j IL j (I if ,7 i q 1 -efe REFUSE COMPACTOR BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION There is a continually increasing need for a householdappliance capable of compacting household 5 refuse so as to reduce thebulk of the refuse and simplify refuse handling. The principal object ofthe present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved refusecompactor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The refuse compactor of this invention consistsof a frame which can be built-in to a household kitchen or incorporatedin a free standing unit. A door is mounted on the frame so that awheeled refuse container can be positioned within and removed from theframe. A downwardly extending compactor head is mounted on the upper endof the frame so that it is in vertical alignment with the open upper endof the container when the container is moved to a position within theframe. The container is provided on one side with lift brackets whichare aligned with lift members on the piston rod for a fluid actuatedcylinder assembly mounted within the frame. When the cylinder assemblyis actuated, the piston rod is guidably moved in an upward direction sothat the lift members engage the lift brackets and move the containerupwardly. Upward movement of the container is continued until either thepiston rod reaches the top of its stroke or until the density of therefuse which is in the container and is engaged with the head stalls thecylinder. The cylinder maintains a continuous force on the refuse evenafter stalling so that over a period of time the refuse is graduallycompacted further and further. Normal household refuse can be compactedto bulk three to five times less than its uncompacted bulk depending oncontent. The control valve which admits water from the household watersystem to the cylinder assembly is connected to the door so that inresponse to door opening movement, the piston rod is moved downwardlyand in response to closing movement of the door, the piston rod is movedupwardly.

Thus, the apparatus of this invention consists essentially of a portablecontainer, a compactor head, and a lift assembly which can beeconomically produced and economically operated by conventionalhousehold water pressure to provide for a continuous compaction ofrefuse.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent from a consideration of the following description, the appendedclaims, and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the refuse compactor of thisinvention showing the portable refuse container in the several positionsit is in during normal use of the compactor; and

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the refuse compactor of thisinvention illustrating the door therefor in a closed position in solidlines and in an open position in broken lines.

With reference to the drawing, the refuse compactor of this invention,indicated generally at 10, is illustrated in FIG. 1 as including a frame12 on which a door 14 is hingedly mounted for movement between open andclosed positions shown in broken and full lines, respectively, in FIG.2. A hollow downwardly extending compactor head 16 is mounted on theupper end of the frame 12 so that the head 16 is hidden from view whenthe door 14 is closed. The refuse compactor 10 also includes a portablecontainer 18 mounted on wheels 20 so that it can readily be movedbetween positions outside the frame 12 when collecting refuse and aposition within the frame 12 when the refuse in the container 18 is tobe compacted, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1. The rear side 22 ofthe container 18 is provided with a pair of lift brackets 24 locatedbelow the upper end 26 of the container 18.

A fluid actuated cylinder assembly 28, consisting of a cylinder 30mounted at its lower end on the frame 12 and an upwardly extendingpiston rod 32, is provided for lifting the container 18. The piston rod32 is connected at its upper end by a bracket 34 to a guide member 36which is slidably supported between flanges 38 on the frame 12 for upand down movement on the frame 12-for insuring straight up and downmovement of the piston rod 32 in response to actuation of the cylinderassembly 28. The bracket 34 also supports a pair of lift members 40positioned so that they are alignable with the lift brackets 24 on thecontainer 18 when the container 18 is wheeled into a position within theframe 12, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, so that when the pistonrod 32 is extended, the lift members 40 will apply lifting forces to thelifts brackets 24.

The cylinder assembly 28 is conveniently operated by water from theusual household water system which is under sufficient pressure toextend the piston rod 32. A four-way valve unit 42 (FIG. 2) mounted onthe frame 12 and connected in a conventional manner to the cylinderassembly 28 has an actuating lever 44 connected to a link 46 which is inturn pivotally secured to an arm 48 on the door 14. As a result, whenthe door 14 is moved to its open position, the valve 42 provides for asupply of water to the cylinder assembly 28 which will cause the pistonrod 32 to be retracted to its broken line position shown in FIG. 1 inwhich the lift members 40 are below the lift brackets 24. When the door14 is moved to its closed position, the valve 42 is moved by the lever44' to a position in which it will provide for a supply of water to thecylinder assembly 28 that will cause the piston rod 32 to be extendedtoward its full line position shown in FIG. 1.

In the operation of the refuse compactor l0, assume that the container18 has been filled with refuse at a location remote from the frame 12.Assume also that the door 14 is open so that the piston rod 32 is in itsretracted position. The container 18 is wheeled into the frame 12 to aposition in which the rear side 22 of the container 18 engages a stop 50mounted on the guide member 36. The container 18 is then in the positionwithin the frame 12 shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, and the door 14 isthen closed. Closing of the door 14 results in movement of the valveactuating lever 44 to a position in which water will be supplied to thecylinder assembly 28 so as to extend the piston rod 32.

During extension of the piston rod 32, the container 18 is liftedupwardly to extend the compactor head 16 downwardly into the upper endof the container and into engagement with the refuse therein. Refuse inthe container 18 is then subjected to the compressing and compactingaction of the head 16 and this compacting action continues until eitherthe piston rod 32 reaches What is claimed is:

l. A refuse compactor comprising a fixed position head, a refusecontainer having an open upper end of a size to be telescoped over saidhead, said container being disposed below said head and havingtheopenupper end thereof arranged in substantially vertical alignment with saidhead, lift apparatus engageable cylinder assembly 28 continues toprovide for the application of a continuous compressing force on therefuse by; the head 16. This continuous action insures max- .imumcompaction of the refuse in the container 18 and the engagement of thestop 50 with the container 18 prevents the container from tippingduringupward .movement.

ln actual practice, a conventional container liner of disposableplasticmaterial is placed in the container '18 prior tothe depositing of refusetherein. When additional refuse is to be deposited in the container 18,-Y

after the initial compacting of refuse therein, the door 14 is openedcausingretraction of the piston rod 32 and a return of the container 18to a floor supported position within the frame 12 from which it canreadilybe removed. The above-described cycle is then repeated until thecontainer 18 is substantially filled with compacted refuse. At suchtime, the plastic liner bag with the compacted refuse therein is removedand replaced by a new bag. The hollow construction of the compactor head'16 provides a convenient storage place for plastic bags for thispurpose and for that reason the head 16 is preferably slidably mountedon the frame 12 g for access purposes.

- From the above description it is seen that this invention provides arefuse compactor 10 which consists of a minimum number of essentialcomponents, namely, the head 16, the container 18 and the cylinderassembly 28 thus enabling economical manufacture and installation of thecompactor 10. In addition, the use of water as the actuating force forthe cylinder assembly 28 further reduces the cost of installation andoperation of the compactor 10. The connectionof the actuating valve 42to thedoor l4 insures continuous compacting action on the refuse whilethe door 14 is closed and the container 18 is not being used for refusecollection purposes.

said on rod so that said lig rg cmfig gr with said container andoperable to move said container upwardly to engage refuse therein withsaid head, said lift apparatus being located entirely toone side of saidcontainer and said head and being operable to apply a continuous upwardforce to said container, said lift apparatus, comprising a fluidactuated cylinder assembly having a fixed position cylinder and an upwardly extendible piston ,rod having transversely extending lift membersthereonengageable with said container.

2. A refuse compactor according toclaim 1 wherein said container issupported on wheels and has lift brackets thereon 'alignable with saidlift members on movable upw y into engagement wi ets to I saidcontainer.

3. A refuse compactor according to claim 1 further including a framesupporting said head and said cylinder, and guide means attached to saidpiston rod and supported on said frame for up and down movement inresponse to up and down movement of said piston rod.

4. A refuse compactor according to claim 3 further including a controlvalve for said cylinder operable to control the flow of pressure fluidto said cylinder, and door means mounted on said frame for movementbetween open and closed positions and connected to said valve means soas to provide for actuation thereof to move said piston rod upwardly onclosing of said door means and move said piston rod downwardly onopening of said door means.

5. A refuse compactor according to claim 3 further including stop meanson said guide means engageable with said container below the upper endthereof for maintaining said container in an upright position duringlifting thereof.

1. A refuse compactor comprising a fixed position head, a refusecontainer having an open upper end of a size to be telescoped over saidhead, said container being disposed below said head and having the openupper end thereof arranged in substantially vertical alignment with saidhead, lift apparatus engageable with said container and operable to movesaid container upwardly to engage refuse therein with said head, saidlift apparatus being located entirely to one side of said container andsaid head and being operable to apply a continuous upward force to saidcontainer, said lift apparatus comprising a fluid actuated cylinderassembly having a fixed position cylinder and an upwardly extendiblepiston rod having transversely extending lift members thereon engageablewith said container.
 2. A refuse compactor according to claim 1 whereinsaid container is supported on wheels and has lift brackets thereonalignable with said lift members on said piston rod so that said liftmembers are movable upwardly into engagement with said lift brackets tolift said container.
 3. A refuse compactor according to claim 1 furtherincluding a frame supporting said head and said cylinder, and guidemeans attached to said piston rod and supported on said frame for up anddown movement in response to up and down movement of said piston rod. 4.A refuse compactor according to claim 3 further including a controlvalve for said cylinder operable to control the flow of pressure fluidto said cylinder, and door means mounted on said frame for movemenTbetween open and closed positions and connected to said valve means soas to provide for actuation thereof to move said piston rod upwardly onclosing of said door means and move said piston rod downwardly onopening of said door means.
 5. A refuse compactor according to claim 3further including stop means on said guide means engageable with saidcontainer below the upper end thereof for maintaining said container inan upright position during lifting thereof.